Imagine replacing a massive gas-fired kiln — the kind that heats cement or steel at extreme temperatures — with a shipping-container-sized microwave unit you can truck to any factory. That's what DESTINY built: modular microwave kilns that heat raw materials from the inside out, the same way your kitchen microwave heats food, but scaled up for heavy industry. They tested it on three of the most energy-hungry sectors — ceramics, cement, and steel — at a demo site in Spain. The goal is to slash energy bills and emissions by skipping the slow, wasteful process of heating materials from the outside in.
Energy-intensive industries like ceramics, cement, and steel spend enormous amounts on fuel to fire materials in conventional kilns, producing significant CO2 emissions in the process. These industries face increasing pressure from carbon pricing and efficiency regulations but have limited options — their kilns are massive fixed installations that are expensive to upgrade or replace. They need a way to cut energy consumption and emissions without rebuilding their entire production infrastructure.
The solution
What was built
The project built a containerized microwave demo plant including a mobile microwave kiln module, 2 feeding modules, and product storage containers — all validated at a demo site in Spain. They also delivered steel kiln adaptations, validated microwave applicators, produced ceramic tiles with new microwave-fired glazes, and developed a monitoring and evaluation tool. In total, 14 deliverables were completed across the project.
Audience
Who needs this
Ceramic tile and pigment manufacturers with high kiln energy costsCement producers seeking alternatives for calcined clay productionSteel mills processing sinter, iron pellets, or zinc oxideIndustrial equipment manufacturers looking to license or integrate microwave kiln technologyEnergy-intensive manufacturers facing carbon pricing pressure
Business applications
Who can put this to work
Ceramics manufacturing
enterprise
Target: Ceramic tile and pigment producers
If you are a ceramic manufacturer dealing with massive energy bills from conventional kilns — this project developed a containerized microwave kiln module demonstrated at TRL 6 that fires ceramic pigments and glazes with full microwave heating. They validated new ceramic glazes on real porcelain stoneware tiles, proving the technology works for actual production. The mobile modular design means you can add capacity without building a new kiln hall.
Cement production
enterprise
Target: Cement plants producing calcined clay
If you are a cement producer looking to cut energy costs on calcined clay production — this project built and tested a mobile microwave kiln system with 2 feeding modules and 1 microwave kiln module. The system processes granular feedstock continuously, replacing conventional rotary kilns for specific calcination steps. The containerized design means you can deploy it at existing plant sites without major construction.
Steel and metallurgy
enterprise
Target: Steel mills and metal recyclers processing sinter, pellets, or zinc oxide
If you are a steel producer spending heavily on sintering, iron pellet reduction, or zinc oxide recovery — this project adapted its containerized microwave demo plant specifically for steel kiln applications. The technology targets sinter, iron pellets, DRI, and ZnO processing with microwave energy. With 16 consortium partners across 8 countries validating the approach, the system was designed for industrial transferability from day one.
Frequently asked
Quick answers
What would this cost to implement at our plant?+
The project data does not include specific equipment pricing or per-unit costs. However, the modular containerized design suggests lower capital investment than building a traditional kiln, since units can be added incrementally. Contact the coordinator for commercial pricing discussions.
Can this work at industrial production volumes?+
The system was demonstrated at TRL 6 with 2 feeding modules and 1 mobile microwave kiln module at a demo site in Spain. This is pre-commercial scale — proven in a relevant environment but not yet at full factory throughput. The cellular kiln concept is designed to scale by adding more container-sized modules rather than building bigger equipment.
Who owns the IP and can we license it?+
The technology was developed by a 16-partner consortium led by KERABEN GRUPO SA, a Spanish ceramics company. IP is likely shared among consortium members according to their EU grant agreement. Licensing discussions would need to go through the coordinator and relevant technology-owning partners.
Does this meet environmental regulations for heavy industry?+
The project evaluated environmental performance using Life Cycle Methodologies and defined relevant KPIs. Microwave firing inherently produces lower direct emissions since it replaces fossil fuel combustion with electricity-driven heating. Specific regulatory compliance details would depend on your jurisdiction and plant setup.
How long would it take to install and commission?+
Based on available project data, the system is designed as mobile modular containers — a microwave kiln module plus feeding and product storage modules. The containerized format suggests faster deployment than conventional kiln construction. The project ran from 2018 to 2023, with demo validation completed during that period.
Can this integrate with our existing production line?+
The DESTINY system was conceived as a complement to existing conventional production, not necessarily a full replacement. The mobile modular design with separate feeding, kiln, and storage containers suggests it can be deployed alongside your current equipment. Integration specifics for your process would require engineering assessment.
What kind of ongoing support is available?+
The consortium includes 10 industry partners and 4 universities across 8 countries, with the coordinator KERABEN GRUPO SA being an active ceramics manufacturer. The project website at destinyh2020andbeyond.eu indicates continued activity beyond the project end date. Post-project exploitation plans were specifically built into the project scope.
Consortium
Who built it
This is a strong industry-driven consortium with 16 partners across 8 countries (AT, BE, CH, DE, EL, ES, IT, PT). The 62% industry ratio — 10 industrial partners out of 16 — signals this was built for commercial application, not just research. The coordinator, KERABEN GRUPO SA, is a Spanish ceramics group that would use this technology in its own production, giving the project a built-in first customer. The consortium covers the three target industries (ceramics, cement, steel) with 4 universities and 2 research organizations providing the science backbone. Having partners from major European manufacturing countries (Germany, Italy, Spain) means the technology was tested against real industrial requirements across different markets.
SciTransfer can connect you directly with the DESTINY consortium to discuss licensing, pilot testing at your facility, or technology transfer for your specific application in ceramics, cement, or steel processing.
